Trans Am
by Pax Moony
Summary: Edited, cut and refinished. Alternative ending to Noshing and Moshing. Daniel takes Lindsay out for a ride after they both experience the burn of rejection. Daniel/Lindsay. Twoshot turned into a Oneshot.


_Well, in case you haven't noticed, I decided to totally update/rewrite this. I was very, very obliged to find that somebody had actually stumbled upon my mistakes and pointed them out to me. I love constructive criticism, so if you see things in here, go ahead and let me know so that I can optimize my output and make you, the readers, happier! You can expect plenty for this fandom, I promise, and hopefully I will keep it as true to the show as I possibly can._

_A special thanks to the Guest Reviewer—you know who you are, whoever you are—who was kind and brave enough to mention to me my mistakes. I rewrote this just for you, as a way of saying thank you for your constructive input. Hopefully you're reading this, that way you can know that I truly appreciated it._

_Pretty much just a rewrite with major fixes; mostly time fixes. For some reason, when I wrote this, I imagined Noshing and Moshing at the very, very end, meaning second to last episode. I went back and checked the list of episodes and felt really stupid, having been halfway through chapter two, and damn near ready to upload, only to find that the biggest mistake ever was right there. I was too lazy. So I fixed it now, and reuploaded it as a one-shot._

_For new readers, I hope you enjoy. For people who have already read this, it's better I promise. I actually took the time to make sure that it all made sense and wasn't entirely jumbled up._

_Proof reading. Woot!_

_Tl;dr, I fixed stuff._

_~Moony_

The irony of it all was that she'd spent the entire night hanging on every last word that Barry had to say, and at the end of the day, he didn't feel the same for her at all. Despite the years and years of flirting, child's play, and the tension that had been built between the two, disappointment had blossomed in a less than flattering way across the Weir girl's features. She heaved a sigh of relief as she collapsed onto her bed. The comfort of being home in her own room was enough to ease most of the pain that had gripped her. However, there was something about this night that seemed wasted and unused. Hours upon hours of compliments and interests and listening and waiting, only to amount to a slightly sad, broken childhood crush.

What a buzzkill.

She scoffed. Since when was it her place to lose her head over a guy anyway? What was so special about _Barry_? Perhaps it was that he was charming, and smart, and charismatic. The intelligence that he possessed only made him that much more attractive to her, and it hurt that he didn't feel that magnetic pull in return. All she could do was pine, and lay upon her bed in a grumpy, damask daze.

She'd done so much. She'd dressed up. She'd put on makeup. She'd done her best to be interesting while still maintaining an air of interest about him, which wasn't hard to fake at all. Somebody so interesting was just fun to be around in general. Perhaps, despite her selfish anger toward the situation, they could be friends if they ever met again. Perhaps he could even develop some stronger feelings for her, if she worked hard enough.

'_This is just depressing,'_ she decided to herself as she sat up. There was no use in pouting around and acting like the world was ending over some guy. She slipped out of her uncomfortable shoes as she sat up, running a hand through her hair. Barry wasn't the one who mattered. She was what mattered. She shouldn't have cared what some perfect, pretty young man with a good head on his shoulders thought of her in the first place. Relationships always went in the wrong direction. Her and Nick for example.

She frowned and stood, gliding over to her dresser to fish for her nightgown, feeling more than guilty for that thought. Nick really wasn't a bad guy. He was more than a _good _guy to be perfectly clear. He was an excellent friend, and she wished that they could still be good friends. However, since they'd dated, the awkward tension that put so many barriers between them kept them from being close the way they had when they'd first met. That was an unfortunate feeling. She missed the way that things had been before. It was weird to think about everybody, now that she really sat down to ponder it. She didn't normally think about her friends. With them, she acted upon impulse. It was interesting to analyze them on her own, without the scrutiny of her teachers or her parents.

Kim was easily her best friend, which was sad in a way. Despite the close relationship that the two girls had formed, it was a wonder that it had formed at all, the way that Kim had initially treated her. It was amazing how a person could change, if you just got to know them a little better. However, plenty of people felt that Lindsay was simply wasting her time with the crowd, and didn't see much of a chance for the futures of any of them.

Ken was a complete smartass, and sometimes she wondered if they could even be considered friends, the way that he treated her. Sure, perhaps it was his way of showing friendly affection—bullying and picking over things in a sarcastic matter—but he never really expressed himself in a way that made any sense. Which, of course, irritated her from time to time. To him, she was sure that she was nothing more than that one girl who managed to make it into the group and would eventually destroy it. She hoped desperately that it didn't come to that.

And then there was Daniel. That boy was trouble, and not much more than just that. Perhaps it was the mischief in those beautiful chocolate eyes, or the carefree attitude that had attracted her to him in the first place, but she was terrified of it whatever it was. He'd happily inducted her into his group, and gave her a warm shoulder to rest her head upon when it was needed in exchange for math help and a shoulder to rest _his_ head upon. In her position, the shoulder was a metaphor. He took it literally. It wasn't uncommon for him to take a nap on her. At first, it had made her a bit nervous, having more than a bit of a crush on him. After a while though, the comfort that it brought him also was passed along to her, and it was almost unnatural for him _not_ to use her as a human pillow.

She bit her lip, thinking about him. For some odd reason or another, he lingered in her mind, with his cheeky smile. He was good at keeping his cool. He always had been. She recalled the time when he and Kim got into a fight right in her kitchen, and while she beat him about the face and chest, he simply took each slap, composed and calm as ever, as if it were nothing.

What was she thinking?

They'd just broken up again. Normally, this was fine, and everything was just as it usually should be. This time, though, it hadn't been a twenty four hour shape up or ship out session. Ever since Thursday, Kim and Daniel both had been damn near silent. Desario had refused to talk to her about it at all. Normally he would whine to her about thse things, which she couldn't help but find adorable. He was a big baby when it came to Kim Kelly, which was funny considering the tough guy show that he constantly put on. However, since the breakup, he hadn't spoken a word to her, which she found more than a bit unnerving. Most Fridays, he'd call her up after school and see if she up to anything. They'd go for a drive, or see a movie with the guys, Kim Kelly or no Kim Kelly. It was needless to say that Daniel was her closest male friend. Sometimes, she couldn't help but wish—

_What was she thinking?_

She closed her eyes and shook her head, laying out her pajamas on the bed and leaning down to grab the hem of her dress. She lifted the awful thing over her head and rid herself of it happily. When the cloth came off though, she couldn't help but utter a soft yelp. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a face, peeping in at her. On the other side of her window, getting ready to tap at the glass, was a very strange, very wild looking young man that she didn't even _recognize_ at first. She stared in horror, pulling her clothes back around her so that his eyes couldn't wander too far over her half-naked form.

Standing on the other side of the glass was a very sad, unruly looking Daniel, with his hair teased out in bluish white spikes, and his shirt torn to smithereens. It took her a long time to process who exactly it was that stood before her. The view of her uncovered body—though normally it would amuse him to no end, along with her reaction to his sudden appearance—didn't seem to cheer him up much. He looked her in the eye, and his need for comfort became obvious. She softened up a bit, the tenseness faltering after only a moment. She swallowed a deep breath and gestured for him to head around back and wait on the porch for her. He merely nodded and disappeared from the window before she could say anything else.

She scrambled to her bedside and threw on her pajamas before she tiptoed from her room and into the hallway. All of the lights in her house were off, and all was silent, save for the snores that she heard from behind her parents' door. Hearing her father breathing so loudly reminded her that if she woke him, she'd be in more trouble than she could imagine. Quietly as she could, she slipped on her jacket, donned her tennis shoes and made her way to the back door to meet the young man that expressed such a need for company.

He stood in the doorway, leaning against the wall and smoking a cigarette. As she stepped out onto the porch, she leaned against the wall as well, watching him with slight concern. He blew out a puff of smoke, watching her carefully.

"You look ridiculous," he mumbled. She crossed her arms, glaring at the ground.

"You're one to talk," she countered, though it didn't seem to bother him much. After a moment of quiet, she glanced up at him. "Where've you been?"

"I've been out. Trying to impress some girl." He rubbed the bridge of his nose, scowling slightly at his cigarette before he took another hit.

"Punker?" She asked, raising an eyebrow in slight amusement. He glared at her.

"How'd you ever guess?" He sent a plume of smoke her way, eyes narrowed. "Seriously though, what's with the make up? Where've _you_ been?"

"Out," she replied halfheartedly, more than a little sour. "Trying to impress some guy." She shuffled her feet awkwardly, eyes trained on the pavement beneath her shoes. He frowned and put his cigarette out, smothering it underfoot before he reached out and touched her on the shoulder, attempting a small smile, which waned after a long, awkward silence. He cleared his throat.

"Linds, you don't need makeup to impress a guy," he said, slipping his hands into his pockets. "You've impressed me since day one, without an ounce of makeup." She smiled up at him, unsure of herself before she pulled him into a hug. He snaked his arms about her, doing his best to mask the melancholy that seeped from him. Resting his head against her shoulder, he took a deep breath. The support of a good friend felt nice. He couldn't help but ponder to himself how he'd managed to find such a wonderful companion.

"You big dope," she murmured, closing her eyes as she rested her head against his chest. "Why'd you come here of all places?"

"I had no place else to go," he rejoined, eyes shut tight before he pulled away from her a bit. He was quiet for a long time before he smiled a little. "Wanna go for a ride? I think we could both use the air." She smiled back, obviously enjoying the idea of that invitation. Her smile wavered after a moment, however, and then fell prey to a frown.

"What if my parents wake up?" she murmured, wetting her lips.

"Oh, _no_, what if your parents wake up?" He feigned concern. "So _what_ if they wake up? It's not like they're going to sneak in and check on you to make sure you're sleeping, Lindsay, you're a big girl." He scowled.

"I'll be murdered."

"Not if you're kidnapped first." He grinned and grabbed her, throwing her tiny frame over his shoulder. It took all of her might not to scream; that would wake her parents for sure. She did, however, struggle a bit, which gained her a slap on the bottom. "Quit moving so much, Weir, you're making it very hard to steal you!" he hissed.

Before she had a chance to argue with him over morals and doing the right thing, she was riding shotgun in his little Trans Am, flying down the highway with her window rolled down, and a smile plastered on her face. He could remedy any sadness or discontent. It was in his genetic makeup, she assumed. He was the kind of guy who could cheer anyone up at anytime, regardless of the circumstances. The fact that he looked like a living, breathing Q-tip only made things that much better.

His smile was contagious, too, she'd learned quickly. From time to time, he would cast a glance at her, and offer his little crooked smile that she'd made herself blush over countless times, but when he did it, all she could do was smile back and hope not to look a fool. Unfortunately, he'd already managed to do that to himself.

"I hope this doesn't become a normal thing for your wardrobe," she said.

"Nah, I give up on punking." He glanced over at her, offering his trademark, squinty eyed smile that showed all of his teeth, and he laughed a little. She stared at him for a long moment before her face got all red, and she had to cover her mouth to keep herself from busting out into a hysterical giggle fit. It didn't take long, however, for the uproarious laughter to commence. Before either could blink, her face was scrunched up in hilarity, and she was laughing. He couldn't help but laugh with her. When you really got her laughing, she could look just as ridiculous as he did. Something about his smile and the way he was dressed had entirely set her off into a tirade of laughing and giggling and hooting. They ended up having to pull over, both cracking up over something or another, casting jokes back and forth about each others' appearances. Through it all, Daniel couldn't help but realize that he'd never laughed that way with Kim.

He was crazy about Kim, really he was. That girl had been his everything since the beginning of high school. But their relationship had been based entirely upon sex and drugs, the latter of which he'd decided to give up. (Lindsay had been relieved when he dropped that one.) They'd never shared laughs like this, and it felt kind of nice to simply relax and enjoy somebody's company, rather than expect the same thing over and over. Lindsay was simply too dynamic to sit still long enough and do the same thing over and over again. He liked that.

Kim was beautiful. He'd always have a soft spot for the girl, and there was no way to ever make it go away. She was his first love, after all. However, it had become very obvious that with the distance between the two of them, things weren't going to work the way they once had. He regretted that, but on the other hand, wasn't it about time he tried something new?

He_ had _tried something new; tonight with another girl, but that turned out to be a complete bust. So what was he doing here with Lindsay?

After they calmed down from laughing, he started the engine back up, and put the gear into drive.

"What's going on with you and Kim?" She asked, though in the least probing way possible. She was gentle about it. "I would've thought that you would've gotten back together by now. Why didn't you—"

"She doesn't wanna see me, ain't that enough?" he snapped, leaning back in his seat. She'd unintentionally hit a nerve. She felt guilty immediately. "She's done with me and my ugly baggage." There was a long silence before she nodded a bit.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I didn't mean to—"

"No, it's alright, I know." He shook his head. "I should be a little more understanding. It's not like you meant anything by it." He offered a small smile. "Sometimes I forget that you're not like most other girls. You don't flap your lips just for the hell of it." There was another pause between them, and she reached out to touch his shoulder.

"Hey. It'll be alright," she assured him. He merely smiled and then returned his attention to the road.

"Wanna go back to my place?" he offered. "I need a shower to get all this gunk outta my hair." She frowned and shook her head.

"No thanks, it's getting pretty late." She looked up at him. "Do you know what time it is?"

"Do I look like a living clock?" he countered, frowning. She was quiet for a long time before she smiled a little.

"No, but you do look like a cotton swab." He turned and glared at her, but then cracked a smile. "Why don't we drive around a little longer, and then we go home. We can hang out tomorrow, unless you've got plans with the guys," she offered. He contemplated that for a long moment with a frown. It took him a moment, but he decided it was a good idea, and he smiled.

"Fair enough. I can kidnap you again tomorrow. Hopefully the both of us will back to our usual selves. Y'know. _Without any makeup_." She giggled and nodded.

"Fine, fine. No makeup," she agreed. "As long as there's no spiky white hair."

"Trust me, you don't have to worry about that." He looked over at her as he took a turn down his street. "I'm done with that scene." They passed his house and he scowled a bit. "Hey, I have a question."

"What's that?"

"Do you think." He paused, taking a deep breath, trying to sort out what he wanted to ask. "Do you think I should stay in school?"

"Of course I do. Why wouldn't I?"

"C'mon Lindsay, we both know I'm not very smart." He was quiet for a long moment before he sighed. "I just want to get away from Chippewa, and away from the rest of my family." She blinked and rested her head against the seat, watching him. She waited for him to continue. After a long silence, he nodded, clutching the wheel tightly. "The other day, my own mother told me she'd be happier if I dropped out and got a job."

"Daniel, what you do is up to you. Nobody can make you do anything that you don't want to." She smiled softly. "But I would miss seeing one of my closest friends every day. Even if you do cut class, it's good just to see you." He was caught in a slight, happy surprise by that, and he couldn't help but smile back at her.

"Weir. You're not so bad, yourself." The rest of the ride was spent making fun of their friends, and the people they knew, and each other. Though it seemed as though they had just pulled out of the driveway, the ride eventually came to an end, and Lindsay pushed open her door. She looked at him over her shoulder before she went.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Daniel. Go take a shower." She scooted over, swinging her legs out the door. He caught her jacket sleeve.

"Hey, Lindsay?" She swiveled around to watch him again, smiling a little. He was quiet for a long time, picking his words carefully. "I…" After another long silence, she frowned.

"I really should get going." She turned to leave again.

"Yeah. Alright," he agreed. "Get some sleep."

"You too," she acknowledged, slipping from the door. He stopped her before she could close it all the way.

"Eh, Lindsay."

"Huh?"

"I'll pick you up at two."

"Alright, Daniel. I'll see you at two." She smiled and closed the door. He watched her race around to the back door, and waited until she waved from the front to leave. As he pulled out of the driveway, he couldn't help but feel so relieved. She was such a cool, beautiful, funny girl.

He finally had somebody that he could rely on that wasn't a bum or a burnout. And it felt so, so good.

Xxx

She groaned when she rolled over and saw that her clock read eleven thirty. Yawning, she hoisted herself out of bed to begin the daily routine. She was normally up and ready for the day by ten, but considering the circumstances of the night before, sleeping in was understandable. She _had_ been out late, after all. It was only natural for her to compensate the much needed energy.

She got herself dressed and then went to the kitchen to get herself some breakfast; leftovers from one of her mother's dinners. She couldn't remember if it was from two or three days ago. Either way, it still looked good. Sitting at the kitchen table was her younger brother, who stared at her like she was some sort of alien

"Pork chops? For breakfast?" He raised his lip a bit, not sure what to think of that. She sighed and rolled her eyes, ignoring him. "Haven't you ever heard of normal stuff? Like, cereal?" She portioned out her meal and then stuck it in the microwave, drumming her fingers against the counter-top. He returned to his comic book, shaking his head. His sister definitely fell into the 'Freak' category.

She leaned against the counter and waited for the timer to run out, growing more and more impatient as she waited. Finally, after a whopping five minutes, she grabbed the plate, stirred up the barbecue sauce, and sat down at the table to eat her rather unique breakfast. She watched her brother with narrowed eyes and a furrowed brow, and he stared straight back at her with a similar expression.

"Aren't you," he murmured, frowning a bit. "Going to eat that?" He shuffled uncomfortably in his seat before he lifted his lip a bit and rubbed the back of his neck.

"Huh?" She stared at him, blinking a bit before she shut her eyes and groaned. "Yeah, sorry. I'm a little out of it." She began to cut up the meat, biting her lip in a distracted fashion. She couldn't keep her mind off of those big brown eyes; the charming smile that had taken her in so warmly the night before. It was bothering her. Sam, for lack of better to do, stood up before he became locked in another awkward staring contest.

"I'll." He paused, thinking about the right thing to say and do. "I'm gonna go read in my room, okay? I hope you enjoy your… breakfast." With that, he set off in the direction of his room, as promised. She hadn't heard a word, off in her own little dream land. Before she knew what was going on, she had eaten her food, washed her dishes, and went back to her room to brush her hair and freshen up. It was only noon when she collapsed on the bed and groaned. There was still another two hours before he was supposed to come get her. She was losing her mind. Over a boy? Lindsay Weir? That couldn't have been possible. She was the most logical girl in the school; a critical thinker, a good girl. Daniel Desario was not a logical thing, though. He was a bad boy, a snake, a devil, but somehow an angel had mingled its way onto the list of things she considered him to be. She couldn't help but feel a little pang of discomfort. This could all so easily be some prank, a trick set up by him and Kim, or even Ken. They all liked to have their rounds at abusing her. She hated when they did that. But of course, she always forgave them in the end. This, however, would be going a little too far. Daniel normally left her alone when it came to the teasing and the name-calling. The last thing she needed was the little bit of trust she had in the group to be shredded and thrown away.

She stared up at her ceiling with a frown, eyes dazed and unfocused. She slipped into a pleasant daydream fantasy for a short while, then opened her dresser drawer and pulled out her diary.

"I'm really excited," she began, biting her lip. "Today, I'm going out with Daniel again." She scribbled down all of the details in the little white book, growing more and more excited by the second. Before she knew it, it was one thirty in the afternoon. She packed up her diary and glanced nervously out the window. He'd be there to get her any minute. She didn't want to seem too hurried or rushed. She had to keep her cool. She returned to the kitchen and poured herself a glass of water to keep herself occupied in the thirty minutes that she was waiting for him. Maybe she'd even go out to meet him fifteen minutes later than he'd said. That would show him. She wasn't about to become some toy.

Despite her mindset, she couldn't help but glance up at the clock every few minutes. She groaned and stood up again, pacing the length of the kitchen. There had to be something that could pass her time. After a long moment, the piano caught her eye. It had been a while since she'd seriously sat down and played. She stared at her hands for a long moment before she bit her lip and sat down at the bench, unveiling the pristine keys. She stared at them nervously for a long time before she began to play. She wasn't bad, but she wasn't particularly good. Unpracticed and rusty, her fingers stumbled over the keys. She was having a blast before she knew it, and the time whirled around the corner.

He'd been sitting in the driveway for damn near thirty minutes. It took all of his might not to honk at her to get her out in the car. Instead, he groaned and pushed the car door open and sauntered up to her front door. He paused, listening to the piano just beyond the door before he cleared his throat and knocked. The piano abruptly stopped and he heard a muffled, 'Shit, what time is it?' before the door opened and he came face to face with the Weir girl.

"Hey, Linds, what's up? I hope you didn't have any _plans_ or anything." He scowled, hands shoved indignantly into his pockets. She stared at him before she laughed nervously and slipped on her jacket.

"Ah, yeah. Sorry, Daniel. I got caught up," she murmured, staring back at the piano. He snickered and waved it off.

"Well, hurry up rock star, I haven't got all day." He started back toward the car

"Could've fooled me." She rolled her eyes and followed after him, shutting the front door behind her with a slight smile. He was such a jerk. Once again, she climbed into the passenger of his Trans Am and smiled over at him. "Where are we going?"

"Dunno. Dun care. Let's get out of Chippewa for a bit, eh?" He grinned. "Go for a _real_ ride." She blinked and frowned. Leave Chippewa? She bit her lip as he started the engine and pulled out of her driveway.

"Where would we go?" She stared at him with a small frown. It wasn't like there was a lot to do in Chippewa, but what would they be doing anyway?

"Hell, let's just go for a ride and get out of Detroit for a bit." He grinned at her again. "How's about a hiking trip?" Her stare mingled with disbelief.

"_You? Hiking?_" She suppressed a giggle, covering her mouth a bit. Imagining him anywhere near a tree brought her into a fit of feminine laughter. He scowled, eyes on the road.

"Hey, I like the great outdoors!" He pouted. "Really, Linds, have some faith in me." She giggled for a few minutes before she managed to calm down and ran a hand through her hair.

"Alright. If you say so." Before she could even reason further, they were speeding down the highway in the opposite direction of the hustle and bustle of downtown Detroit. So much for a movie, or a quiet dinner at Charley's. Then again, nothing Desario did was quiet. She shuffled in her seat, staring out the window with a frown planted on her thin lips. He cast a glance at her with a cheeky smile, always ready for a bit of mischief. He'd show her.

Xxx

She'd counted the amount of time they'd spent on the path. They'd made it only twelve minutes before he sat down and whined about the heat and the bugs. She took a seat next to him, and immediately his head rested against her shoulder, hands clinging to her arm in a childish nature. She groaned and patted him on the back.

"What did I tell you about hiking?"

"Shaddap," he spat, face buried in her army jacket sleeve. Sometimes, she couldn't help but see him like some big puppy with too much time on his hands. That image suited him to a tee, to be entirely candid. The way he whined and whimpered and pouted only added to the thought, along with his big, brown eyes. She did her best to suppress a giggle. He looked up at her with a frown. "What's so damned funny?" He groaned and sat back up, stretching a bit.

"You are. Is it a crime to laugh at something that's funny?" He glared at her before he leaned back in the bench and looked up at the sky, calming down a bit, entirely ignoring her question.

"Eh. It's not so bad out here. When you sit down, it's not so hot."

"It's hardly any warmer out here than it normally is. Maybe it wouldn't be so unbearable if you actually took off the jacket." He glared at her again.

"My jacket has nothing to do with it!" he declared, brow furrowed. He slipped it off as he said it, doing his best to remain inconspicuous. He wouldn't let her best him. He knew that in her mind's eye, she'd already won. He didn't want to admit that she had, but he knew better than to think otherwise. He draped the jacket over her lap with another pout, rubbing the back of his neck for a moment before he looked back up at her. "Hey, Linds?"

"Huh?" She caught herself locking gazes with him again, biting her lip in slight discomfort as he scooted closer to her.

"Now that I've got you out here, in private, and we're sort of lost out here in the woods," he murmured, smiling a little. They hadn't exactly gotten lost. She'd remember the way back. She wouldn't put it past him to forget, though. That wasn't, however, the important thing. The important thing was that he was getting dangerously close to her, and she could hear her own heart thumping in her chest as he brushed her hair back behind her ear to whisper in it. "I've got some things that I've been thinking about, and I want to tell you about them." She tried to swallow the lump in her throat, but couldn't quite get it down, settling for nodding in agreement, her nails digging into her thighs.

"Y'know, Linds, what I said last night; about you impressing me from day one? That wasn't a lie." He was so incredibly smooth; sly as a fox, and dangerous as they came. She gulped her breath with a slight frown, unsure of what to think. Heart fluttering, eyes shut tight so she didn't have to look at him, she brushed her hair over her shoulder slowly, trying to resist temptation. Kim. She had to think about Kim; her best friend, her closest companion. She put a hand to his chest and lightly pushed him away, turning her head.

"Don't do this to me, and don't do this to yourself," she uttered, doing her best not to let her voice crack. "You know we can't do this."

"Do what, Linds? Be honest with one another?" He frowned and leaned against her; chin resting on her shoulder so that his face was hazardously close to hers; arm slipping around her waist-worming his way as close to her as he possibly could. She swallowed another breath of air as he lightly pulled her chin to look at him. "Sometimes I wish you weren't so damn smart, that way you wouldn't think so much." He traced her lips with his thumb, smiling and offering a gentle, lilting chuckle. She shuddered and tore herself away from him again. _Persistence_ seemed to be etched into his DNA. She found herself turned around to look at him again, and this time, she couldn't keep herself from staring at those big, brown eyes.

"I can't help it if I choose logic over hormones," she articulated, wetting her lips and nibbling her lower with an unsure frown. "This isn't going to do us any good."

"Sometimes you find that hormones can make certain things much more 'logical' than you'd think," he insisted. "I just want to show you what I mean, Lindsay. I feel like." He paused trying to find the right words to say. "I feel like if we gave it a shot, you and I could do so much good for one another. You're such a good girl, Linds, I need that. I have to have that kind of influence. And you need somebody you can always trust. You're so isolated all the time." He spoke faster than he'd ever spoken before, trying to help it all to make sense to her. It all came out a little jumbled, almost nervous sounding.

"Daniel, what about Kim?" she moaned, looking down at her lap. "What do I say to her? I don't want to lose her. She's my closest, most special—" The world stopped spinning for forty seconds as he mashed his lips to hers to get her to shut up. He didn't want to hear about Kim, or what would happen when she found out. He didn't want to hear anything. He wanted to taste, and smell, and feel; to feel her as he slipped his hand to the base of her jaw and softly caressed her neckline.

She couldn't feel anything. She was numb, entirely numb. She could just barely taste him, the faint hint of his last cigarette hanging on his lips before he deepened the kiss and brought her back to reality. She remained in a daze, falling back a bit. He supported her with a hand on the small of her back to hold her up.

"Careful. You don't want to hit your head," he murmured before he pulled her into another lip-lock embrace. She couldn't help herself this time. All of the tension that had existed between them broke in that moment as she kissed him back, making him smile in his success as her hands slipped upward and tangled into his hair. She tugged softly at his locks, goose bumps littering her arms. She was suddenly very thankful that she'd worn her jacket. He let his hands travel downward, holding her by the hips.

"There you go. Let it all out. I knew you had it in you," he encouraged, pulling away from her for a long moment before he flashed his mischievous grin again, tilting her chin up. "Hold still. Don't move."

"What are you doing?" she demanded as he leaned down to her neck, biting his lip in excitement.

"Just hold still." He softly bit down on the flesh of her neck, sending her into fits of tremors. He grabbed her around the waist to hold her still, devilish smile widening.

"What are you—what are you doing?" she gasped, fingers still tangled in his mane of hair. He snickered, suckling softly.

"What does it feel like I'm doing?" He finished up with a smirk and pulled away, eyeing the perfect little bruise like it was a masterpiece. "Let's just say, you'll be needing a turtleneck." She groaned and shoved him off of her, fists clenched in protest. He merely laughed and touched her nose. "C'mon, let's get out of here, catch a movie or something." She watched him for a long moment before she smiled a little and stood to follow him.

However she felt about it, no matter what she thought, or what she thought she knew, Daniel Desario had won once again, and he wasn't about to strike out on such a catch. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders in a whimsical fashion, a giant grin spread across his lovely features.

"How's it feel to have a bad boy hanging all over you, brain?" he finally asked, teasing.

"It's no walk in the park," she replied, slightly uneasy, but more so amused than anything. He grinned.

"Good. It wouldn't be any fun if it was." He planted a kiss on her temple, and she smiled, letting herself go for once. Fifteen minutes with Daniel was enough. That could keep her going for a while. What was to become the greatest secret relationship in McKinley High history had bloomed out of the shotgun of a five seating car with a messed up bumper and a few stained seats.

She glanced out the window of the little Trans Am as they drove away from the hiking trails and set off back in the direction of Detroit. Her heart was still pounding in her ears as they took off down the highway, a smile settled upon his perfect lips, and his sunglasses left folded in the backseat. She still held on to his jacket for him. Opportunity could come from the strangest places at the strangest of times. For now, she would be content to stay close to him and pretend for others that everything was the same, normal as ever. But behind the closed doors of the car, the possibilities were endless. And she couldn't wait to explore them all.


End file.
